The number-one drawback to pool ownership is the cost. Almost all homeowners would love the ability to sink into a cool swimming pool when Tennessee temperatures reach their peak in July and August. Heck, some years Tennesseeians are begging for relief by May! But many homeowners are reluctant to take on the regular service and maintenance needs of a swimming pool. How much does it cost? How long will the pool last? What are ongoing maintenance items and chemicals going to run? What will it cost if something goes wrong, like a pool pump giving out or a — gasp! — leak in the inground pool?
Pool Defenders are here to help. Whether you’re a real estate agent trying to close the deal on that 6 BR Mediterranean style home near Sylvan Park or a home buyer looking at a spiffy place in Hillsboro Village, we can help identify problems with an inground pool and even help extend the life of your pool once you’ve made the investment.
Here are the most expensive pool repairs that homeowners and home buyers commonly face in their Nashville area pools:
A pool heater can extend your swim season by weeks or even months each year, especially in the South where extreme cold temperatures aren’t as common as many regions of the country. When Nashville Spring Break comes around in March or April, you might even be able to take a swim that early! Wouldn’t it be great for the kids to have something to do besides mess up the house and play video games?
A pool heater can also keep your pool usable through October or November (later in warm years or if you invest in a pool enclosure) during especially warm Tennessee autumns. You know, the ones when all the tourists are complaining about no leaf color in the Smoky Mountains and you just wish they’d all stay home, anyway?
But a faulty pool heater is one of the most expensive things that can go wrong when you own a heated swimming pool. Pool heaters tend to last for many years, depending on the type and brand you choose, but these units aren’t cheap to replace when they do go out. The good news is, when you do have to replace your aging pool heater, Pool Defenders can help you choose one that not only lasts a super long time, but is also more energy-efficient, so you don’t gasp when you get those April, May, or November power bills!
There are four basic types of pool heaters: Electric, Gas, Heat Pump, and Solar Pool Heaters. Some of these are more common in the Nashville area than others, with gas pump pool heaters being the most commonly found in this part of Tennessee. Gas is the best option for heating your pool when it’s colder outside. Solar pool heaters, however, are gaining in popularity, especially in the newer areas of town, such as Stephens Valley or Four Seasons. Not only do solar pool heaters keep power bills lower, they are also Greener, meaning you’re being kinder to the environment and your pool heater is gentler on those electric bills.
Costs to replace a faulty pool heater in a Nashville home average around $3,000 but can easily reach $4,000 to $6,000 or more. Solar pool heaters and other high-end pool heaters can run over $8,000 to replace. Electric and gas pool heaters are usually the least expensive, but still cost at least $4,000.
In case you’re wondering, it usually runs anywhere from $100 to $600 per month to run a pool heater, unless you choose solar. Alternatively, homeowners who invest in whole-home solar panels can opt to include the pool equipment in the solar power system. Fortunately, pool owners in Tennessee pay less than homeowners in more populated states like California, because energy costs here are lower. We also pay less than a pool owner in Wisconsin or Connecticut, because our winters are shorter and less severe. It’s a lot cheaper and easier to heat a pool from 50 degrees than to heat it from below freezing!
The type of pool heater you own (electric, heat pump, gas, or solar) is also a contributing factor in how much your pool heater costs to operate. For example, solar heaters might not cost you anything to run, while gas prices fluctuate more than electric power prices. This is true anywhere you live in the country.
Let Pool Defenders defend you against a faulty pool heater! We can determine if you need to replace it with a more efficient model, or if the one you have can be fixed and used for several more years.
Smart Technology has revolutionized pool ownership, just like it has most everything else. What used to be time consuming and inconvenient to manage is now quick, easy, and doable most anywhere. With pool automation, Nashville homeowners can keep their pools secure, keep the kids safe, and keep energy costs down, all with their mobile devices. In addition, it’s a huge convenience factor for busy homeowners. Want to have the pool warmed up when you get home from work? Easy! Just program the pool heater to switch on at a certain time, or turn it on manually with the click of a smartphone app.
But pool automation repairs and replacement can be one of the most expensive pool repairs a Nashville homeowner might have. If the entirety of the system needs replacing, costs could easily reach $4,000 to $6,000.
Pool automation systems include a number of features, such as smart variable-speed pool pumps that can be programmed to run on a schedule or switched on and off remotely via smartphone or tablet. Automation systems we commonly see in the Nashville area also include internet-connected pool heating systems, sanitation systems, and even programmable and remote-operable features like LED lighting and water fountains or bubblers.
Robotic pool cleaners are also part of most pool automation systems. If you’re having trouble with the components of your pool technologies or the entire pool automation system, Pool Defenders can help Nashville homeowners, real estate agents, home inspectors, or buyers diagnose the problems quickly with no hassle.
Get your swimming pool automation system running right with a smart diagnosis from Pool Defenders!
Most of Nashville’s pool builders are knowledgeable, experienced, and do great work! But even the best built pools occasionally succumb to structural issues. Pools can crack. Spring leaks. On rare occasions, a pool can even “pop” out of the ground (although this almost always occurs when the pool is empty). Structural problems are some of the most costly problems that can happen to a swimming pool.
Pool Defenders can visually inspect a pool to determine what issues may exist. In many cases, a loss of water doesn’t indicate a leaking pool. Over time, pool water evaporates, and this process is accelerated during the fall when temperatures in Tennessee drop quickly. In Nashville, we can be sweltering one week and wearing our thick winter coats the next! Most pools need to be refilled with water when it’s time to open the pool in the spring, due to water evaporation over the winter. It often takes an expert evaluation to determine if the issue with a pool is a quick, easy fix or one that runs into thousands of dollars.
Call Pool Defenders today for a pool inspection you can trust. We offer inspection services to real estate agents, home inspectors, and homeowners.
Many pool owners choose optional sanitation systems as opposed to the traditional chlorine-based systems. Examples of these include salt sanitation systems and UV sanitation systems. While there are distinct advantages to these alternative systems, they can be expensive to repair or replace.
For example, a replacement salt cell can run $800 to $1000. A complete replacement salt sanitation system can run from $2200 to $2400. UV repairs and replacement systems can cost similarly.
Call Pool Defenders today for a pool inspection you can trust. We offer inspection services to real estate agents, home inspectors, and homeowners, and we are familiar with alternative automated sanitation systems for pools, including salt and UV.
The typical pool pump can be expected to last between eight and ten years in a Nashville swimming pool. Most commonly, it’s the motor that goes bad first, and a homeowner can often extend the life of the pump by keeping the motor well maintained and replacing only the motor when it goes out. A variable speed motor mounts to your existing pump body, saving you significantly on operating costs.
Unfortunately, as any Nashville real estate agent can tell you, not all homes that go on the market are as well maintained as the buyers would like. But most home inspectors are not trained and experienced in swimming pools, since their primary work involves issues within and around the home, not pools.
Usually, if the pump is only a few years old, you can rebuild or replace the pool pump motor and get more life out of the unit. But after 5 years or so, it makes more sense to go ahead and replace the entire pool pump.
However, you may not always know how old the pool pump is when buying, selling, flipping, or inspecting a home in the Nashville area. While many homes are new and modern, we also have our share of older homes, especially in more established neighborhoods like Whiteland and Eastwood. Inground pools in these neighborhoods can easily be decades old, and it’s highly likely the pool pump has lived its normal lifespan and is ready to be replaced.
Not sure? No problem. Pool Defenders can help you determine whether it’s time to replace that worn-out pool pump or if you can breathe new life into it with some simple repairs. We work with real estate agents, home appraisers and inspectors, and directly with homeowners and home buyers in and around the Nashville area.
Sometimes pool problems have nothing to do with the actual swimming pool. In inspecting pools around the Nashville area, a lot of the issues we see involve what’s called the pool “surround”. This refers to the decking, concrete, tile, pavers, etc. that go around the pool.
Problems with decking and concrete pavers around the pool can actually be very dangerous, and some homeowners insurance companies will require these issues to be fixed before the home can be insured. Many bank appraisers will also decline to finance a home until such issues are addressed.
Problems with a pool surround in Nashville don’t have to derail your home mortgage or affect your insurance rates! Pool Defenders can identify these problems so that your pool can be restored to all its original beauty, as well as its safety and effectiveness.
Pool Defenders works with homeowners, home appraisers, real estate agents, and home inspectors in and around the Greater Nashville area. Call on us today!
